What iPhone shortcuts are and why you'd use one
An iPhone shortcut is a quick way to run one task or a chain of tasks with a single tap. Apple's Shortcuts app lets you automate things you do repeatedly — like sending a text to your partner that you're leaving work, opening a specific playlist, or converting a photo to a different format. You can trigger a shortcut from your home screen, lock screen, Control Center, or by asking Siri.
Shortcuts save time on repetitive actions. Instead of opening three apps and tapping through menus, you tap once. You don't need to be a programmer; the app works by connecting pre-built blocks that represent actions your phone can already do.
Key Takeaways
- The Shortcuts app comes built into iOS 12 and later; if you don't see it on your home screen, search for "Shortcuts" in the App Library.
- A shortcut is made by tapping the plus icon, naming your shortcut, and adding actions from the library — each action is a task your phone can perform.
- You can place a shortcut on your home screen as an icon, add it to your lock screen, or trigger it by voice through Siri.
- Testing your shortcut before saving it catches mistakes; tap the play button to run it and watch what happens.
Opening the Shortcuts app and starting a new shortcut
Find the Shortcuts app on your home screen or in the App Library. If you don't see it, swipe to the App Library (the rightmost screen of your home screens), tap the search icon at the bottom, type "Shortcuts", and tap the app when it appears. The app icon is a purple square with a white play symbol.
Once the app is open, tap the plus icon in the top right corner. You'll see a blank canvas with the text "Add your first action". This is where you build your shortcut by stacking actions on top of each other. Each action represents something your phone can do — send a message, play music, take a photo, open an app, or dozens of other tasks.
Adding actions to your shortcut
Tap "Add your first action" to see the action library. You'll see categories like Scripting, Media, Documents, and Apps. Scroll through or search for the action you want. For example, if you want to send a text message, search for "Send Message" and tap it when it appears.
Once you add an action, you'll see fields to fill in. For a text message, you'd tap the contact field and choose who to send it to, then tap the message field and type what you want to say. Some actions have required fields (marked with a red dot); others are optional. Add as many actions as you need — they run in order from top to bottom.
If you want to remove an action, swipe left on it and tap the trash icon. To reorder actions, press and hold the three horizontal lines on the left side of an action and drag it up or down.
Testing your shortcut before you save it
Before you save, tap the play button (triangle icon) at the bottom right to run your shortcut and see if it works the way you expect. If you set it to send a message, it will actually send that message, so test with real data you're okay with using. If something goes wrong, you'll see an error message that tells you what failed.
If the test doesn't work, check that all required fields are filled in and that you've chosen the right contacts or apps. Make changes and test again. Once it runs without errors, you're ready to save.
Naming and saving your shortcut
Tap "Next" after a successful test. You'll be asked to name your shortcut — use something clear that tells you what it does, like "Text Mom I'm Home" or "Play Workout Playlist". Tap "Save" and your shortcut is now stored in the Shortcuts app.
You'll see your new shortcut in the library with an icon. You can tap it anytime to run it, or you can add it to your home screen, lock screen, or Control Center for faster access.
Adding your shortcut to your home screen
Find your shortcut in the Shortcuts app library. Press and hold it until a menu appears, then tap "Add to Home Screen". You'll see a preview of how it will look — you can change the icon and color if you want. Tap the icon to choose a different one, or tap the color circle to pick a new color. When you're happy with how it looks, tap "Add" in the top right.
The shortcut now appears as an icon on your home screen. Tap it anytime to run the shortcut. If you want to remove it later, press and hold the icon, tap "Remove", and choose whether to remove it from the home screen only or delete it entirely.
Adding your shortcut to your lock screen or Control Center
To add a shortcut to your lock screen, open the Shortcuts app, press and hold your shortcut, and tap "Add to Lock Screen". Choose the icon style and color, then tap "Add". The shortcut will appear as a button on your lock screen that you can tap without unlocking your phone.
To add it to Control Center instead, press and hold the shortcut in the Shortcuts app and tap "Add to Control Center". When you swipe down from the top right of your screen to open Control Center, your shortcut will be there as a button. This is useful for shortcuts you use very often.
Using Siri to run your shortcut
Once you've created a shortcut, you can ask Siri to run it by voice. Press and hold the home button (or say "Hey Siri"), then say the name of your shortcut. Siri will run it without you having to open the app or tap anything.
If you want to give your shortcut a voice command that's different from its name, press and hold the shortcut in the Shortcuts app, tap "Details", and look for the "Listen" option. Tap it and say the phrase you want to use. From then on, you can ask Siri to run that phrase instead of the shortcut's full name.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I create a shortcut that runs multiple apps in a row?
Yes. Add an "Open App" action for each app you want to open, and they'll open in the order you arrange them. You can also add delays between actions if you need time for one app to fully load before the next one opens.
What if my shortcut doesn't work when I test it?
Check that all required fields (marked with a red dot) are filled in, that you've chosen the right contacts or apps, and that the actions are in the right order. If you're still stuck, delete the shortcut and start over with a simpler version — try a single action first, then add more once that works.
Can I share a shortcut I created with someone else?
Yes. Press and hold your shortcut, tap "Share", and choose how you want to send it — via message, email, or AirDrop. The person you send it to can open it in the Shortcuts app and use it themselves, though they may need to adjust contact names or other details to match their phone.
Will my shortcut still work if I update my iPhone?
Usually yes, but some shortcuts may break if Apple changes how an action works in a new iOS version. If a shortcut stops working after an update, open it, look for any actions with warning symbols, and fix or remove them.